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"A carer on the bus is supposed to check everyone is off, a teacher is supposed to tick everyone off on the register, and the driver is supposed to check there is no one on the bus too.

“The last thing I expected was that all of these checks hadn’t been done and Reuben had been left on the bus."

However, at 2.30pm she got a phone call from the school to say Reuben had been found by the bus driver still strapped to his seat in the vehicle.

Fosse Way school (Image: Artur Lesniak)

"I was shocked.

“The bus driver had actually gone for a lunch break, parked the bus and left Reuben on it while he went for something to eat.

“He only discovered him when he went back to the bus for the afternoon school run.

"I immediately left work and raced to see Reuben. When I saw him he just wanted to be hugged. It was so distressing."

Mrs Wilson, who lives with Reuben’s stepdad Chris Gillis, 45, a training manager, adds: "Reuben has started back at school and the school was great informing me when he’d arrived and when he’d set off school to home.

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"But a new driver recently lost his way. The bus was delayed for 30 minutes and no one rang. By the time Reuben turned up I was in floods of tears.

“The school is fantastic and everyone apologised verbally but I can’t understand why all these checks are not being made.

"I want the council to review their policies so this never happens again."

A spokesperson for Bath and North East Somerset Council said it is now assisting Avon and Somerset police with an investigation into the incident.

"The council has already spoken to the family and apologised for the distress caused,” said the spokesperson.

"This is a terrible event for the child and his family.

"The council fully understands the gravity of the situation and we want to know how this could have occurred in order to ensure that this can never happen again."

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